Labeliitg-machine



L COBB. LABELING MACHINE. APPLICATION FlLED JULY `28, i914. 1.9 1 93 ,5 1 7, v Patented Allo'. 8, 1916.

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L. COBB.

LABELING MACHINE.

APPLICATION .man JULY 28.1914.'

1 1 9 3,5 '7. I Patent-ed Aug. 8, 1916.

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L. COBB.

LABELING MACHINE.

APPLICATION HLED IULY 28. |914. 1 193 517, IatendAug. 8,1916. 6 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

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L. COBB.

LABELING MACHINE.

APPucATxoN min JULY 2s. 191.4.

l l 93,5 1 7. Patented Aug. 8, 1916.

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L. COBBQ LABELING MACHINE. PPPPP cATloN FILED JULY 28.1914.

L. COBB.

LABELING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED JULY 23, |914;

Patented Aug. 8, 1916.

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UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEIcE.

LAWRENCE COBB, 0E RICHMOND, VIRGINIA.

LABELING-MACHINE.

Application filed J'u1y28, 1914. Serial No. 853,645.

Thisk invention relates to labelvapplying,l machines, and vmore especially to lsuch asare employed for pasting labels on cans andl similar cylindrical containers.

The object of the invention is to effect improvements in the label picking mechanism whereby a labelis taken from .a stack.v by suction within a drum-like picker andy carried into active position, where it is freedV from the picker by a blast of air from a nozzle'.

Another object is toe'ect improvements in mechanism for gripping the can at the time it is dropped from the can receiver, revolving it while it is moved over the gluecoated label, and releasing it when the operation of applyingthe label is finished.

A third object: isxto produce improvements in the label afiixing mechanism which comprises rollers on opposite sides of theV can gripping mechanism, means for press-l ing one of these'rollers yieldingly toward the other, and automatic means for over-V coming such pressure and spreading thev rollers when the can is to be released.

The Yinvention possesses details of construction for carrying out these general objects, and other minor objects which will appear from the following specification and claims, reference being had to the `accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the complete machine, looking at the left-hand side of the machine; Fig. 2 isa side elevation of the machine looking at'the right-hand side thereof; Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of the machine; Fig. 4 is a vertical Section taken through the drum ofthe machine; Fig. '5 is a top plan view of the machine; Fig. 6' is a vertical central section taken through the upper Vportion of the machine;

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the carriage employed to convey the cans through the machine; Fig. 7au iste-'detail of the latch shown in dotted lines 1n Fig. 7 Fig. 8 is Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. s, 1916.

an. enlarged detail view of one portion of the drum showing the mechanism for securing the label and'for releasing the same; Fig. 9 is an enlarged vertical section through the device employed for releasing and gripping the can to cause the same .to rotate as iti-passes through the machine. Fig. 10 is a rfragmentary View showing .a portion of the label feeding device; Fig. 11 shows a side elevation of one end of thel machine with the device applied thereto for removing'the labels from the drum and causing the same to followthe can; Fig. 12 shows an end elevation of the device.

The general aim of the present invention is to provide a labelingmachine having a can receiver at one end thereof with improved lever mechanism for delivering one can at a time to a reciprocating carriage whichis provided with rollers, one of which may move to receive the can, suitable rack and pinion mechanism being employed for gripping the can to rotate the same as the carriage passes over a label carrying drum. Means are employedfor opening the can gripping mechanism both at the point of receiving the can and at the point of delivery after the label has been affixed thereto. A glue roller isv also rotatably mounted upon the carriage and is provided with a vertical adjustment so as to be moved out of position when passing backwardly over the drum which carries the label. Suitable mechanism is provided vfor creating a partial vacuum in the drum for holding the label in place, and the'requisite trips are emploved for actuating the several mechanisms. ln order that a morevcomplete idea may be had of .the invention. reference is made to the accompanying drawings.

There will first bek described Athe mechanism for presenting the labels into position for gluing. Referring to Fig; @,itwilll be seen that there vis a shaft 1 driven by any suitable mechanism notv shown and this shaft carries thereon a pinion 2 which meshes with a gear 3 mounted upon ashaft il. Pivoted on a wrist pin adjacentthe periphery of a crank wheel 3 fast on the front end of the shaft 4 is a pitinan'rod 5"(see Fig. 5), the

lower end of which is pivotally connected to av lever 6 fast on a shaft 7 iournaled across the bottom of the frame. The shaft is provided with an arm 8 which has formed therein several pin holes 9 for adjusting purposes which receive a pin 10 carried by the lower end of a link 11, the upper end of which is pivoted to a lever 1-2. One end of the latterl is pivoted in the frame while the other end is provided with a slot 13 and is adapted to receive a pin 14 carried by lugs 15 depending from a label carrying platform 16 which is slidably mounted between ways 17, (see also Figs. 17 3 and 4). The upper end of the platform 16 is adapted to carry a charge of labels suitably printed and indicated at 18, themeans foivpreventing the escape of more than onelabel at a time comprising a rod 19 slidably'mounted inguides 20 on the yplatform 16 and `havingthe upper end thereof bent as at 21 and extending slightly over the tops ofthe labels as seen in Fig. `10. Interposed` between the' upper part ofthe frame 22 and the lever '12 is a suitable spring l23 for easingthe operation ofthe label delivering mechanism. l

Carried b-y the shaft '4.is a miitilatedgear 24 meshingwith a-pi'nion25 which is rigid with the tubul-ar shaft of a drum 26 which serves as the label picker. This drum -is hollow and is preferably provided with four iattened and perforated sides 27, the hollow drum communicating through its shaft with a pipe'28 connectedtoa suitable pump 29 `which may be of any'form and indicated generally in the drawing. -Inorder that 'the drumlmay be rotated through'ione quarter of a revolution-and then retained in that position, :there is provided the ordinary Geneva movement indicated at 30 which is located alongside of and-fcoperates with the pinion 25fand gear 24. Thus, as the shaft '1 isrotated the gear` 24 will be rotated andat predetermined times will rotate vthe drum while at the intermediatetimes-said Geneva movement will hold the drum in ar fixed position. It is to be understood'that there is a constant suction through all ofthe perforations formed in thesides 27.

As the mutilated f gear 24 rotates the gear 3 als-o'rotates which results'in the rising and falling of the platform at 16 upon which are mounted theilabels. The Geneva movement is so timed with respect to the pitman that the platform r16 is raisedwhile the drumis being held- 1n a stationary position and it will be understoodthat the suction offtheA air passing'through the perforated-sides 27 will be sutlicient to draw one of the labels '18 from under the bent end of the rod 19,'but saidl end 21 will be sufficient to prevent the removal ofthe labels belowithe uppermost label. The `weight of the rod 19 is sufficient for this purpose.

`Referring to Fig. 6 the rotation of the drum is as indicated by the arrow and it is assumedthat there is a label upon the top and bottom and rright-hand side of the drum `26. It will be seen that the platform 16 rises each time the drum 26 is rotated through one quarter of a revolution.

By referring to Fig. 8, there will be seen a mechanism for gripping the label tothe drum afterthe same'has been removed from the platform 16 by suction. This mechanism comprises a segmental rack 31 pivotcd as at 32 to the drum and being provided with a pin 33 which is adapted to move within a slot 34 provided in one end of an arm 35. The arm 35 is loosely journaled upon a shaft 36 carrying a pinionv37 and gripper fingers 3S, theseingers beingzadapted to extend slightly above thetop of theperforated sides 27fto hold the label 18 in place. As shown inFig. 8,;thefngers are inposition for holding the label in place. A `trip 39,-secured tomechanismfto bedescribed hereinafter, is provided `for engagingthe segmental rack 31. Securedto the rack 31 adjacentftheslot 34 isone end-ofsa spring 40,1the other end of which'is secured'to the drumr26ias Vat 41. Thespring 40 is secured tothe drum 261at sucha position as will normally holdfthe rack 31fandzthe arm35 in thejfull line :position shown in .I `ig.i8"but it will be seen that the centerline of the spring 40 is `close to the pivot/32 so that when the ltrip 39 engages the 'rack segment and throws v*the same tothe dottedline position shown 1n Fig. q8, the `center fline of the kspring 40 passes=overthe pivot 32 andllies upon the opposite side as indicated in dotted linesin Fig. 8. The mechanismis vheld in'the kfull line position in Fig. '8 :by the engagement of the end of slot 34-'by the pinr33, and `is heldin dotted line positionby theengagement of the segment 31 with a stop 42. As the segment 31 moves'fromthefull linepositiontofth'e dotted 'line .position the lrack engages'tlre pinioni37to rotate the shaft 36 and'lift theiingers- 38-so as to disengage the label Y18. From-'thisdescription, it `will be seenthat the device for securing and releasing the labels willfbe held in o ne of V.two positions either to hold thelabelm place'or to releasethe same.

The `mechanism lfor 'gluing the labels as they are heldxintheposition shownein Fig. 8 will nowbe'described, Theupper part of frame 22 is 'provided with standards 43 upon'whichismounted the guiding and supporting frame 44 'comprlsingftwo side bars 45 whichl areprovidedwithltracks 46 adaptedlto support and guide rollers 47 `which are mountediupon supporting axles 48 rigidwith a carriage 49 fh-aving side plates 50 which havetheir ends braced by means ofbars 51. Adjacent one! end offthevcarriage yeach plate 50 is provided with aslot 52 around-which is a guide plate "53 which serves'to guide the horizontal lug 5.4 of an :upright arm 55 adapted for verticalmovement The arm may 'befsecuredto thehorizontal lug 54 4in any'm'anner as by rivets 56 and carries the roller 57, `the purpose of 4whichwillbe apin the bottom thereof a suitable bearing for a shaft 58 one end of which is provided with a pinion 59 and which shaft is rigid with a glue roller 60 mounted between the plates 50. The guide plate 53 has a horizontal eXtension 61 projecting over and outside of the plate 50 and there is provided between the horizontal extension 61 and the lug 54 a spring 62 which is compressed when the lug 54 is raised toward the horizontal extension 61. Pivotally mounted to the outside of each of the plates 50 is a. latch 63 whose active end is held toward the arm 55 by means of a spring 64 which has one end secured to the adjacent plate 50. As seen in detail in Fig. 7a the latch 63 is provided below its pivot with a shoulder 65 which is adapted to engage a corresponding shoulder 66 formed adjacent the bottom of the upright arm'55. The latch 63 is pivoted to -the corresponding plate 50 and as the upright 55 is raised by mechanism to be described hereinafter .its shoulder 66 slides along the surface 67 of the latch against the action of spring 64. As soon as the shoulder 66 passes the shoulder 65, Y the spring 64 will throw the latch so that the shoulders may interlock and thereby hold the uprights 55 in raised position against the action of springs 62. As seen in Figs. 4 and 7, the upper ends of the latches 63 are bent outwardly from the arms 55 so as to engage tripping `mechanisms to be described hereinafter.

By referring to Figs. 1 and 6, the method for reciprocating the carriage 49 will be found. The shaft 4 has'secured thereto a sprocket 68 which is provided with a chain 69 which is led over a sprocket 70 rigid with the shaft 7l upon which are mounted the fly wheels 72 which serve to steady the action of thel machine. Pivotally mounted adjacent the periphery or each of the wheels 72 is a pitman 73, the upper end of which engages a rod 74 which extends through the carriage 49. As the shaft 1 rotates the shaft 4 will also rotate as already described and by means of the chain 69 and sprocket 70, the whels 72 will be rotated to move the pitmen 73 so as to reciprocate the carriage. The stroke of the pitmen 73 is such as will be necessary for the proper operation of the machine.

A glue pot 75 is secured at one end of the frame and has mounted therein a glue roller 76 which feeds glue from the pot to the glue roller 60 whenthe latter is in contact with the feed roller 76. In order that the latter 76 may be positively driven there is secured to the shaft 77 thereof a small sprocket 78 which receives a chain 79 which is driven by means of sprocket 80 rigidly secured to shaft 1, an idler 81 being provided for adjusting the tension of the chain.` By this means they roller 76 may be rotated constantly. As the carriage 49 moves so as to take the glue-roller 60 from the positively. driven feed roller 76, the roller 60 will be in its lowest position, but as the carriage continues to move the rollers 57 will engage inclined planes 82 which are so positioned as to raise the uprights 55 far enough for the shoulder 65 of the latch to slip under the shoulder 66 under the action of spring 64 which of course will serve to hold the roller 60 in raised position, this raising of the roller `being accomplished before the roller passes over the drum and the label carried thereby.V As soon as the carriage has traveled far enough for the glue roller 60 to pass beyond the label, the latch 63 engages a trip 83, and the carriage moving a short distance farther, the latch will move backwardly`against the action of spring 64 so as to move the shoulder 65 from under the shoulder 66 and allow the uprights 55 to be thrown downwardly to carry the roller to its lowermost position under the action of springs 62. As the roller 60 is forced downwardly by the springs 62, the pinion 59 will engage a rack 84 andat this point the carriage reverses its movement and starts back toward the'glue pot. Therefore the glue roller 60 will be caused to rotate by reason of the `engagement of the pinion 59 with the rack 84 the diameter of the'glue roller 60 and the pinion being such that the roller 60 will roll `withoutlsliding over the label 1 8 which is held tothe drum by means of the gripper lingers 38.` As the roller 60 is in its lowermost -position at this time, it will engage the positively driven feed roller 76 as the carriage reaches the end of its stroke. By this mechanism the label is glued, the roller for gluing the same being in raised position when passing over the labeltowardthe lingers 38, but being in y lowered position when passing over the label away from the fingers 38.

The cam supplying mechanism will vnow be described. Mounted upon'th'at end of the frame opposite the end carrying the glue pot is a can receiver 85 having side plates 86 as seen in Fig. 5 and provided with rollers 87 which carry small sprockets 88 which engage chains 693 there being two of these chains shown in the drawings. r1`he chains 89 are mounted near the bottom of the receiver- 85 and are driven by means of intermeshing' gears 90, 91, the latter having on its hub' a sprocket driven by mea-ns of a chain 92 which engages a sprocket 93 carried by the shaft 71, the purpose of the doublel or intermeshing gears being to reverse the movement of the rollers 87 so that the chains 89 move toward the center of the machine and therefore feed the cams along the receiver in a horizontal plane. Referring to Fig. L6, there will be seen a mechanism for i is pivoted in the bottom of the receiver a lever 94 one arm of which is provided with a link 95 which is pivotally connected to the bottom of a plate 96 carrying a trip 97 while the otherV arm is pivoted to a tongue 98 which is fastened under a lug 99 carried by a plate 100 standing substantially in alinement with the top of the chain 89. A rod 101 is provided adjacent the forward end of the receiver' 85 for allowing but one can to pass at a time. The plate 96 has the ends thereof turned up as at 102 outside of the receiver 85 and connected by springs 104 with an arch 103 carried by the frame, the purpose being normally to hold the plate 96 in forward position as shown in Fig. 6, and the plate 100 in backward position by the springs 104. As the carriage 49 moves back under the receiver 85 trips 105 rigid with the side plates 50 engage the trips 97l formed on the bottom of the plate 96, and as the carriage continues to move after the engagement of the trips 105 and 97 the plate 96 is moved backwardly while the plate 100 is moved forwardly, the forward ,end of the plate 100 engaging the top'of a can as shown in Fig. 6 to force the same downwardly and at the same time reduce the distance between the end of rsaid plate 100 and the rod 101 so as to prevent the falling of another can. As thecarriage reverses its movement and starts back toward the positively driven roller 76, the trips 105 will leave the trips 97 so that the springs 104 will return the plates 96 and 100 to the position shown in Fig. 6. As soon as the distance between the forward end of plate 100 and the rod 101 is equal to the diameter of one of the cans, the can upon the plate 100 against the rod 101 will fall onto the plate 96 which will prevent the same from fallingfrom the receiver, the can and associated mechanism being in position for being delivered according to the description just given in connection with the deliv' ery of the lirst can. By the mechanism just described the cans are delivered one at a time from the bottom of the forward end of the receiver 85.

The mechanism for receiving the cans dropped from the receiver and applying the labels thereto will now be described. Referring to Figs. 5 and 7, it will be seen that there is rotatably mounted between the plates 5 0 which constitute the carriage 49 a roller 107 which has pintles 108 extending through the plates 50. Spaced from the roller 107 is another roller 109 which has eX- tending from the ends thereof pintles 110` each of which extends through a slot 111 formed in the adjacent plate 50 and is journaled in a bearing formed in the bottom of a lever 112 pivoted to a bearing plate 113 secured to each of the plates 50. lnterposed between adjacent ends of the pintles 108 and 110 are springs 114 which serve to hold the rollerA moves toward the can receiver 85 the upper ends of the levers 112 will engage stops 115 so that as the carriage proceedsfarther after the engagement the roller 109 will be moved away from the roller 107, the slots 111 permitting of this movement. By this mechanism the rollers 107 and 109 are spaced a distance greater' than the diameter `of the can, and such spacing occurs just as Vthe rollers come under the delivery end of the receiver. As soon as the carriage starts in the opposite direction the levers 112 disengage the stops 115 and the springs 114 cause the rollers to press the label onto the can as described below.

By referring to Fig. 9,the mechanism will be seen which grips the can and also causes the same to rotate. One of the plates 50 has a perforated boss 116 which receives the shank 117 of a dead 'center 118 this shankbe'ing provided with a shoulder 119 which engages the boss so as to limit the inward movement of the dead center 118 under the action of a spring 120 which is interposed between the plate 50 anda friction head 121. The other side plate 50 is provided with a boss 122 for receiving the shank 123 'of a spur center 124, the shank 123 being provided with a shoulder 125 which engages the boss 122 to limit the inward movement of the spur center 124 under the action of a spring 126 which is interposed between the adjacent plate 50 and inclined friction member 127 which is slidably mounted upon the shank 123. Rigid with the shank 123 is a pinion 128 which is permanently in engagementv with the rack 129 carried by the frame of the machine. As the carriage reciprocates the spur center will be caused to rotate according to the direction in which the carriage is moving. Be-

neath the receiver extends a horizontal plate j 130 having upbent and divergent side edges, one of which engages the head 121 while the other engages the friction member 127 so as to separate the dead center from the spur center as thecarriage moves toward the can receiver 85, and it is immaterial whether the separation of the centers starts before the separation'of the rollers 107 and 109 or vice versa or whether the separation of these named members takes place simultaneously. The members may be adjusted in any way so that the rollers 107 and 109 are farther apart than the vdiameter of the can and the dead center and spur center separated by vdistance greater than the length of the can when the trip 105 has moved the trip 97 far enough to release the can 106. In order that the can 106 may not fall from between the rollers 107 and 109,

said plate 130 which may extend inward to together for the dead center-and spur center to engage their respective ends of the can after which the can is supported by the centers and no further need of the plate 130 is felt. As soon as the spur center 124 engages the corresponding end of the can, the can will begin to rotate because of the engagement of the pinion 128 with the rack 129; and, as in the case of the glue roller 60, the pinion 128 is made of such size as will allow the can to roll over the label without slipping. As the carriage moves toward the positively driven roller 76, the lever 112 will move out of engagement with the trip 115 and the roller 109 will be drawn into contact with the can. The purpose of the rollers 107 and 109 is to smooth out the label and cause the same to adhere to the can and give a smooth finish. As the can passes over the drum, it will engage the adjacent side of the label, which label has been glued bythe mechanism already describedV and is held against the drum by means of the suction already referred to and is held against displacement by means of the iingers 38 Valready referred to.

The mechanism for releasing the label grippers as the can engages the same will now be described. Referring to Figs. 3 and 4, it will be seen that there is depending from one of the axles 48 which support the carriage 49 an arm 131 which has extending outwardly toward the drum the trip 39 mentioned in connection with the device for holding the label toward the drum, as shown in Fig. 8. The trip 39'may be resilient or otherwise formed so as to leave the segment 31 after the mechanism shown in Fig. 8 has been thrown to the dotted line position. The arm 131 is so placed that the trip 39 operates to release the grippers from the labeltjust as the can lengages the said label; and they will remain in the position shown in dotted lines until the drum has turned so that the mechanism is at the bottom of the drum as seen in Fig. 6. When in this lowermost position the mechanism will be in the position shown in Fig. 8 if Fig. 8 were upside down and as the carriage reverses and moves from the positively driven glue roller 76 toward the can receiver 85 the segmental arm 31 will engage the resilient trip 132 referring again to Figs. 3 and 4 which will serve to close the grippers shown in Fig. 8 to the full line position, but of course, the parts will be related as shown when Fig. 8 is held upside down. The trip 132 may be resilient to allow the segmental arm 31 to passk after the gripper fingers have been thrown into contact with the adjacent side 27 ofthe drum 26. This occurs just after one of the labels has been sucked against said side 27 which will be just after the platform 16 has risen to the upper limit of its movement and is receding.

Therefore, either of the sides 27 will always be provided with labels when the drum is held in a fixed position and two of them are always provided with a label when the drum is rotating through one quarter of a revolution. By the mechanism just described the label will be released at the top of the drum and the new label will be gripped to the drum at the bottom thereof.

The mechanism for discharging the can after the label has been glued thereto will now be described (see Fig. 5.) Depending from the frame o-f the machine is a bracket 133 which has secured thereto a plate 134 having divergent sides 135 comparable with the side edges of the plate 130 and serving the same function. As the friction members 121 and 127 engage the sides 135 of the plate 134 they will be spaced to release the ends of the can. This releasing of the ends of the can takes place after the can has passed the upper end of a chute 136 which leads from the frame down to any convenient packing machine (not shown). It will be understood that as soon as the spur and dead centers are drawn from the ends of the can, the spring 114 will draw the roller 109 toward the roller 107 and thus drive the can downwardly upon the chute 136. To effect this, the axis of the centers is located below.

the line joining the axis of the rollers 107 and 109. By this mechanism the can is released from the machine and delivered with the label applied thereto.

For the sake of clearness the several operations of the machine have been taken up separately, but it will be understood that all the operations take place as the carriage makes one complete cycle or when it moves from the glue pot toward the receiver and returns to the glue pot, one can being delivered for each reciprocation.

In the actual operation of the machine disclosed herein, it sometimes happens that the cans will not pick up the glued label. It is found that when the cans are perfectly clean, they will pick up the labels, but as occasionally happens if considerable foreign matter is carried by the outside of the can orreceptacle the same fails to pick up the glued label. To cure this failure to pick up a label, it may be desired to employ the device shown in Figs. 11 and 12. A shaft 150 suitably driven by chain or other `device 151 carries a cam 152 which is connected by means of a threaded link 153 to rocker arm 154. One end of this arm is pivoted to the frame of the machine while the other end is pivotally connected to an oscillating bar 155 carrying a flexible hose 156. This ho-se is in connection with a tank 157 which is supplied with airA under pressure from any suitable source, the means shown herein being al pump 158 driven by a pitman 159. The latter is reciprocated by a crank wheel 160 receiving its power either from the main drive shaft of the machine or from any other source. A belt 161 is shown in the drawings for the purpose of driving the wheel from a pulley on the shaft 150. There is interposed in the pipe 156 a trip valve 162 which has an upwardly extending stem 163 which is adapted to be tripped by a finger 164 rigid with and rotating with the shaft 150. The

' purpose of this valve will be shown hereinafter and it may be stated that pump 15S may be of any approved form forming no part of the present invention.

Beneath the can delivery mechanism the frame is provided with a slot 165 shown in Fig. 1.1 in which reciprocates a iiattened nozzle 166 having the` front end thereof beveled downwardly and communicating at its rear end with a stiff pipeJ connection 167 in communication with hose 156. The pipe connection 167 is rigid with the oscillating bar 155 and as said bar is reciprocated by the eccentric cam 152 the nozzle 166 is moved backwardly and forwardly. At its extreme forward position the pointed end of the nozzle 166 is designed to be substantially inv vertical alinement with the upper horizontal face of the drum or possibly slightly below the face in such position that when air is forced out of the nozzle the same will raise the adjacent end of the glued label carried by the upper horizontal face of the drum. The reciprocation of the nozzle 166 is timed so that said nozzle will be in forward position just at the time that the gripper fingers holding the label are tripped, and the finger 164 carried by shaft 150 is timed so` as to depress the stem 163 and open the valve to admit air to the nozzle 166.` From this, it will be obvious that should the package, container or can fail to pick up the label, the draft of air issuing from the flattened nozzle will blow the label against it.

I claim:

1.` In a can labeling machine, the combination with a label picker comprising a drumrhaving planate perforated faces, its interior connected with an exhaust, and means for turning the drum intermittently;

of means for gluing the label lying upon thel uppermost face of the drum, and means for subsequently rolling a can over the gluecoated label.

2. In a can labeling machine, the combination with a label picker comprising a drum having planate perforated faces, its interior connected with an exhaust, and means for turning the drum intermittently; of means for gluing the label lying upon the uppermost face of the drum, means, for subsequently rolling a can over the gluecoated label, and a nozzle directing a blast of air beneath the end of the label at the moment the can reaches it.

3. In a can labeling machine, the combination with a label picker comprising a. drum having planate perforated faces, its interior connected with an exhaust, and means for turning the drum intermittently; of a carriage reciprocating horizontally above the uppermost of said faces, gluing mechanism including a roller in said carriage, and a fixed glue pot with which the roller coacts at one limit of movement of the carriage, canfeed mechanism at the other limit of movement, can gripping and rotating mechanism on the carriage adapted to take a can from the feedmechanism and roll it over said planate face, and label axing mechanism comprising rollers mounted in the carriage on opposite sides of the gripping mechanism, movable bearings for one of them, yielding means pressing such bearings toward the other roller, and tripping mechanism for overcoming the yielding means-and spreading the rollers apart when the can gripping mechanism releases the can.

l. In a can labeling machine, the combination with a label picker comprising a drum having planate perforated faces, its interior connected with an exhaust, and means for turning the drum intermittently; of a carriage reciprocating horizontally above the uppermost of said faces, gluing mechanism including a roller in said carriage, and a fixed glue pot with which the roller coacts at one limitof movement of the carriage, can feed mechanism at the otherl limit of movement, spaced rol-1ers on the carriage, and means for moving one of them yieldingly toward the other for applying the label to the can, between said rollers a can gripping mechanism comprising alined centers slidably mounted through the sides of the carriage, yielding means bearing them normally inward and cam mechanism for overcoming said means to release the finished can, a pinion connected with one of said centers, and a rack engaged by the pinion for rotating the can as it moves over said face.

.5. In a canlabeling machine, the combination with label picking mechanism including a level face,`tracks extending past said face, a carriage reciprocating on the tracks, and gluingv mechanism including a` roller in the carriage .moving over the label on said face; of can` feedingl mechanism above one end ofthe tracks, a trip. on the carriage and a coacting trip on the feed for actuating the latter when the carriage comes beneath it, can gripping mechanism in the car-riage, means for actuating this mechanism to engage the can dropped from the feed and to rotate the canas it passes over said face, and label-applying rollers, for the purpose set forth.

6. In a can labeling machine, the combination with a label picking mechanism including a level face, tracks extending past said face, a carriage reciprocating on the tracks, and gluing mechanism including a roller in the carriage moving over the label on said face; of can feeding mechanism above one end of the tracks, a trip on the carriage and a coacting trip on the feed for actuating the latter when the carriage comes beneath it, can gripping mechanism in the carriage, means for actuating this mechanism to engage the can dropped from the 'feed and to rotate the can as it passes over said face, means for pressing the label to the revolving can, and means at the other ends of the tracks for relieving the pressing means and for opening the can gripping mechanism.

7. In a can labeling machine, the combination with label aifixing mechanism including a level face, tracks extending past said face, a carriage reciprocating on the tracks, and a gluing roller in the carriage; of means on the carriage for gripping a can and rolling it over the glued label lying on said face, and means for directing a blast of air under one end of the label when the can commences its movement over said face. l

8. In a can labeling machine, the combination With label picking mechanism including a level face, tracks extending past said face, a carriage reciprocating on the tracks, and a gluing roller in the carriage; of means on the carriage for gripping a can and rolling it over the glued label lying on said face, means for directing a blast of air under one end of the label when the can commences its movement over said face, and a spring-pressed roller adjacent said gripping means for bearing the label against the can.

9. In a can labeling machine a carriage adapted to reciprocate, a pair of rollers rotatably mounted therein, means for moving one of said rollers away from the other roller, slidably mounted, means for gripping a can to rotate the same, and means for spacing the last mentioned can gripping means.

10. In a labeling machine a carriage adapted to reciprocate, a roller mounted Copies of this patent may be obtained for therein, a pair of levers pivoted to the carriage, a second roller mounted between the corresponding arms of. the levers, ixed trips adapted to engage the extending arms of the levers to move the second mentioned roller away from the first mentioned roller, as the carriages moves in one direction, and means for moving the second mentioned roller to- Ward the first mentioned roller as the carriage moves in the opposite direction.

11. In a can labeling machine a carriage adapted to reciprocate a fixed plate having inclined plane sides, a dead center slidably mounted upon the carriage, a friction member rigid therewith, a spur center mounted upon the carriage, a friction member engaging said spur center, said friction means adapted to engage the inclined plane sides of the plate as the carriage moves to space said centers, and means for rotating the spur center.

12. In a labeling machine, a rotating drum, a chute positioned adjacent the drum adapted to feed containers to the drum, feed-controlling means extending into the chute, arms pivoted adjacent the drum, container retaining means carried by the arms, means connecting the arms With the retaining means, and means moving with the drum for actuating the arms.

13. In a labeling machine, a rotating drum, means provided upon the periphery of the drum for carrying a label, a chute terminating adjacent the drum and adapted to contain a plurality of containers, feedcontrolling mechanism carried by the chute adjacent the drum, arms pivoted adjacent the drum, means connecting the arms and the feed-controlling mechanisms, container retaining means carried by the arms, and means moving With the drum for moving the arms and feed-controlling mechanism in sequence.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of tvvo Witnesses.

LAWRENCE COBB.

Witnesses I. BLACK, S. E. HEFLEBOUER.

washington, D. c. 

